Every summer, even before I was born, my dad’s side of the family would rent a beach house together for a week. We rented one house in particular on Caswell Beach for the majority of my childhood — Jonah’s Whale. While our families gradually outgrew Jonah’s Whale, the Caswell Beach and surrounding areas still mean the world to our family. For the youngest of us cousins, we remember our family trips to Caswell mostly through old home videos, photographs, and stories.
Granddad who would rise with the sun to go body-surfing but then be off the beach by the time we all were just heading down.
Grandmom who would sit in her sunhat under the shade of my dad’s green stripe sun tent that he only recently retired.
Those summer nights in July when my dad and uncles would set off very illegal South Carolina fireworks in North Carolina and run inside as to not get caught.
When we would all catch the ferry from Southport over to Fort Fisher to explore the historic site or the aquarium and my Aunt would inevitably be pooped on by a seagull riding the breeze above the ferry every.single.year.
Usually these family trips would start and end in the sleepy nearby fishing town of Southport. With its charming houses, ferry rides, and delicious seafood, it quickly became an important part of our family’s yearly beach trip. However, there is one place in particular that we would visit each and every time, Provision Company.
Yacht Basin Provision Company is a seemingly hole-in-the-wall seafood restaurant right on the water with access for boaters to pull up and grab a bite to eat. Provisions runs on the honor system where you order at the front, grab whatever drinks you would like, enjoy your meal and then let them know what all you had on the way out.
Their shrimp and crab cakes are the best around and contrary to most seafood places, the seafood isn’t deep fried. But this place is more than the delicious food to my family, it is tradition and memories rooted in those yearly beach trips with my late grandparents and Jones side of the family.
As I got older, Caswell Beach became home to other important life events. Each summer our youth group would attend a summer weekend at Fort Caswell Retreat Center. This is a place where my mom grew up going and even had the opportunity to work one summer as a lifeguard. It is where she deepened her relationship with Christ and it is also where I came to know Him as well. With my parents as youth leaders there was one place nearby they were sure to end the weekend, Provisions.
It has become a tradition to venture to Southport whenever we are in the area to enjoy a meal at Provisions. It never seems to matter if going to Southport is taking us in the opposite direction of home or whether the ferry might take longer than simply driving. Southport is worth the trip and getting there is all a part of the adventure.
Being able to share this place with our wedding guests was one of my favorite things about our wedding weekend. For many of our guests, it was their first time to Southport. But for my extended family, it was a cherished weekend back in a special place where we made many memories together. My grandparents were dearly missed throughout the weekend but their presence was felt and for that I am so grateful.
